In recent years, resistance varying memory has been receiving attention as a successor candidate of flash memory. Resistance varying memory usually has a cross-point type structure configured having memory cells arranged in a matrix at intersections of a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines intersecting these bit lines, the memory cell comprising a variable resistance element.
Such a cross-point type resistance varying memory is configured such that in a selected memory cell, a voltage is applied to the selected memory cell to cause flow of a current sufficient to cause a resistance change of the variable resistance element, while in an unselected memory cell, a current is prevented from flowing by a selection function of a selection element. An increase in leak current in the unselected memory cell causes malfunction of the resistance varying memory and increases power consumption.